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19/07/2013
Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson has called for collective efforts in the fight against the spread of the dreaded HIV/AIDS disease and stigmatization of those affected.

Governor Dickson made the call at a special edition of the state monthly jogging exercise, tagged, “Run-For-Life,” which took off from the Capital City Development Authority and terminated at the Peace Park, Yenagoa.

The event, which featured contestants of this year’s Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria Pageant, was aimed at sensitizing the people on the effects of HIV/AIDS and the need to live a healthy lifestyle.

Describing the scourge as a potent and real danger to the future of the people of the state, the Governor urged them to see the fight against the pandemic as a collective responsibility, stressing that, “the health of one is the health of all.”

Hon. Dickson who said government would not relent in creating awareness about…

Rivers ACN denounces its national leadership over calls for Jonathan’s impeachment

FURTHER cracks are emerging in the opposition Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), as its Rivers State chapter has distanced itself from calls by its national secretariat that President Goodluck Jonathan be impeached over the political crisis rocking the state.

Absolving the President Jonathan of any blame in the crisis, the chapter instead blamed Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, who it accused of orchestrating the crisis. In a statement by its secretary, Mr. Amonibia Akoko, which was made available to newsmen, the chapter cautioned its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, against making uninformed statements that would only worsen the situation.

The statement read: “We the ACN in Rivers State know the true picture of events that are unfolding in the state. And we know that in this incident, the main culprit is Governor Amaechi, who during the last electioneering and election, sealed off the campaign secretariat of Dr. Abiye Precious Sekibo, used the Nigerian security agencies to arrest and intimidate our members.

Commissaries Attempt Online Convenience

Commissary officials are hoping a new online ordering and curbside pick-up pilot program can help them increase sales and attract more ‘wired’ shoppers.

“Given the average age of our military member is 28 and military members are technically savvy, (the commissary) could expect to achieve results equal to industry averages if not more. For commissaries, the market is definitely there for potential sales and increased accessibility for our patrons,” said Rick Brink, a commissary spokesman. “The (grocery) industry projects online grocery sales could reach as high as 10 percent of overall grocery sales by 2017.”

The Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) July 10 launched the online ordering program at their Fort Lee, Va. store. Two other bases — Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. and Travis Air Force Base, Calif. — will get the service by late September.

DeCA is hoping the pilot program can test whether or not they can add online shopping without impacting in-store service levels. They’ll also be watching sales numbers and evaluating whether or not the online service is worth the cost and personnel to run it.

“We plan to operate the test for a year, evaluate the return on investment and then make a decision on the role eCommerce will play for DeCA,” Brinks said.

The commissary has been involved in the ongoing battle to cut costs across the Defense Department, with some lawmakers suggesting eliminating the benefit completely. Most recently, Defense officials ordered DeCA to review and report back on options for cutting by one-third its annual $1.4 billion operating budget. That review is due this month.

For the time being the curbside program is free for customers and doesn’t require a minimum order. Brinks said if they decide to spread it to other stores at the end of the year, DeCA will look at including a fee “based on market rates for similar services.”

Some civilian grocery store chains that offer curbside pick-up, such as Harris Teeter and Giant Eagle, charge $4.95 per order. Publix, which canceled its curbside pilot program after two years, charged $7.99.

The curbside program is operated by commissary employees who gather the items for customers, hold them for pick-up, and then deliver them to the vehicles. Because the work is done by employees, not baggers, no cash tips are accepted. While coupons are allowed curbside, customers can only by credit card, debit cards that run as credit cards or DeCA gift cards.

To order groceries customers must log into the commissary’s “Curbside2Go” portal via DeCA’s website using their last name, birth date and last four digits of their social security number. They can then select their items — most of which are listed with a price and a photo — and reserve a pick-up time. Since the website is not linked to the store’s exact inventory, the costumer can choose whether or not to allow product substitutes if the item they want is not available.

To pick-up groceries at the Fort Lee locations, shoppers pull into designated parking spots and communicate with a commissary employee via intercom. Their groceries are then brought outside and loaded into the car.

While DeCA officials said almost 21,000 items are available via Fort Lee’s online shopping, there are some glaring absences. For example, while ground beef and several steak cuts are available online from Fort Lee commissary’s butcher department, most cuts of chicken, such as breast or thighs, are not.

Bricks said the goal is find a balance between the most popular products and redundancy.

“A limited assortment of meat, delicatessen, bakery and seafood items are available based on how these products are priced at time of production,” he said. “Selection of these categories was based on the concept of making available the very best assortment by offering the brand leaders of the categories with minimum redundancy.”

Shoppers at Fort Lee who used the program over its first several days of operation said they were happy with the service.

“It was awesome,” said Raven Green, a Fort Lee spouse who is changing duty stations in a few weeks. “I’ll miss it when I move.”

Green ordered about $50 worth of groceries, including ground beef and bananas. She while the meat wasn’t the kind she usually choose when she shops for herself, the produce was in great condition.

Fort Lee spouse Nina Koniniak said commissary officials told her she was the first shopper to place an order after the program launched. She ordered 22 items, including produce, and was very happy with the service. While the minimum time between ordering and pick-up is usually four hours, officials let her get hers early because no other orders had been placed.

“I put my order in at the airport, grabbed lunch and less than 2 hours later had my ingredients for lasagna tonight as well as berries, fruits and dog snacks,” she said.

Koniniak said she particularly liked the online platform.

“The commissary website is really easy to use. I absolutely love the service,” she said. “And bonus that I can save the shopping list for the hubby.”

PRESIDENT JONATHAN CALLS FOR STRENGHTENING OF NIGERIA-U.S. BINATIONAL COMMISSION

President Goodluck Jonathan Tuesday in Abuja called for the further strengthening of the Nigeria-United United States Bi-National Commission to make it an even more productive platform for boosting bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

Speaking at an audience with the outgoing Ambassador of the United States to Nigeria, Mr. Terence McCulley, President Jonathan described the Commission which was established during President Barack Obama’s first term in office as a very laudable initiative which should be nurtured and built upon by both countries.

The President called for the maintenance of the regularity of the twice-yearly meetings of the Commission which is co-chaired by the United States Secretary of State and Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, saying that it will greatly help to further improve cooperation between the two countries in various areas including economic relations, trade, security and defence.

He thanked Mr. McCulley for his efforts to strengthen the already cordial relations between Nigeria and the United States and wished him success at his next post.

Mr. McCulley thanked President Jonathan for the support and cooperation he received from the Federal Government during his tenure.

He told the President that the United States continues to regard Nigeria as a key strategic partner in Sub-Saharan Africa and will keep on working with Nigeria to strengthen and expand bilateral cooperation in all possible areas.

GOV. DICKSON SWEARS-IN NEW COMMISSIONER: CALLS FOR TEAMWORK, DEDICATION AMONG POLITICAL APPOINTEES Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson has sworn-in a new commissioner for Science, Technology and Manpower Development, with a call on members of the State executive council and political appointees to be good team players as well as render quality service to the government and people of the State.

The new commissi oner, Mr. Parkinson Macmanuel, was until his new position, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Secondary Education and replaces Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack, who has since been deployed to Government House as Chief of Staff.

The Governor also urged political appointees not to engage in unnecessary bickering and acts that are capable of distracting Government’s attention in its desire to fully deliver on its restoration agenda to the people.

While, expressing confidence in the ability of Mr. Parkinson Macmanuel to deliver on his mandate, the Governor noted that there are still a lot of challenges ahead within government generally and the ministry of Science Technology and Manpower Development and called on him to rise up to the challenge. “You are joining us at a time the restoration train has moved for about a year and half. A lot is happening but a lot still lies to be unfolded.

As you have joined us, we expect the highest possible loyalty, hard work and selfless dedication to the assignments, formal and informal that will be assigned to you”.

Hon. Dickson further urged him to urgently liaise with the former commissioner in charge of the Ministry and the Permanent Secretary for adequate briefings to enable him swing into action as well as unfold the various programmes designed to better the lot of Bayelsans. “You are assigned to the Ministry of Science, Technology and Manpower Development, and in this ministry you have your hands full because we have enormous problems when it comes to job creation, youth management and so on and also encouraging science application in all spheres of our lives”.

“Like, I said some work has been done, there’s an ambitious programme of empowerment to be unfolded so I expect you to work, get briefings from your permanent secretary and chief of staff and others who are involved. So in no distant time, our people whether they are women will get empowerment, whether the youth, special empowerment scheme so all this programme will have input from your ministry”

He also reminded all appointees to be focused on the task of developing the State in the meantime, instead of dissipating their energies on politicking as it was not yet time for politics, he remarked. “For us, this is no time for politics, so Hon. Commissioner this is no time for you to play politics. You are not appointed to play politics.

The only politics appointees should play for now is to mobilize support and offer prayers for the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who is our leader”. He also used the opportunity to call on the political class in the State to desist from politics of blackmail, propaganda and name dropping, noting that when it is time for politics, the restoration government will not hesitate to play its part to a logical conclusion, describing its members as “tested commanders”, who have succeeded in politics without violence.

Daniel Iworiso-Markson Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Bayelsa State

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has arrested one Mr. Israel Justice Ukaegbu, for impersonating the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Alex Badeh, on the popular social media site, Facebook, with an account name AS Badeh m

The Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Yusuf Anas, paraded Ukaegbu to journalists Wednesday at the NAF headquarters in Abuja.

Anas disclosed that the suspect who was arrested at No. 3 Azikiwe Road, Aba, Abia State,on the facebook displayed a portrait photograph of the CAS while interacting with the unsuspecting public in that capacity.

He further disclosed that the suspect, was said to have connived with an information and communication specialist, one Mr. Wisdom Raphael Onyebuenyi currently at large, to commit the crime.

He said that they (suspects) claim to have done this after having fallen victim to a fake NAF recruitment agent who defrauded him the sum of N30,000 to get enlisted into the force.